edited by: G. Lepore, M.S. Rizzo, C. Soraci

The idea for this contribution took shape during the 2023 excavations in House III M of the Hellenistic–Roman Quarter in the “Valley of the Temples” Archaeological and Landscape Park in Agrigento. Research carried out in the central room of the so-called “three-room suite” — the space corresponding to the most prestigious area of the house in terms of the owner’s self-representation and social display — led to the recovery of a substantial assemblage of wall plasters bearing graffiti. These include both figural elements and textual inscriptions which, despite the difficulty of deciphering them, were deemed important to publish as quickly as possible for the benefit of the entire scholarly community, fully aware that the excavation is still ongoing and that further work may significantly alter our overall interpretation of the context.

On this occasion, therefore, we decided to take stock of all epigraphic material uncovered so far in the Hellenistic–Roman Quarter, starting from Insula III — the focus of the research agreement with the University of Bologna — and extending the survey to the surrounding areas. This contribution will thus present wall graffiti, tile and ceramic stamps, fragments of tegulae sulphuris, and other epigraphic materials, all of which serve to support a more accurate and coherent reconstruction of the history of this sector of the city of Agrigentum between the Republican and Imperial periods.

Sommario

G. Lepore, La Casa III M, pp. 1-4

M. Benfatti, I dati archeologici: il collasso della fine del II secolo d.C., pp. 5-14

C. Soraci, I dati epigrafici: i bolli del tetto e la tessera nummularia, pp. 15-22

C. Soraci, I graffiti del vano d: la “Stanza di Silla”, pp. 23-32

V. Mirto, Decifrare l’invisibile. L’uso dell’RTI per l’analisi e la lettura dei graffiti, pp. 33-38

V. Caminneci, Italici ad Agrigento: vecchie e nuove ipotesi sul cosiddetto “Oratorio di Falaride”, pp. 39-54

L. Zambito, Le tegulae sulphuris, pp. 55-62

M.S. Rizzo, L. Zambito, La villa in località Cignana e i bolli di Manius Otacilius Catulus, pp. 63-72

C. Soraci, La Casa III M: la sede di una societas publicanorum?, pp. 73-84

G. Lepore, Archeologia e storia, pp. 85-88